July 25 – Feast of St. James
The Camino de Santiago, known in English as “The Way of St. James,” is a series of pilgrimage routes through western Europe, with the main one beginning in France, that makes the Way to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain, where tradition holds that the body of St. James the Greater is buried. For over 1300 years, European pilgrims have walked the Way to their final destination at this renowned cathedral on the Iberian coast. As pilgrims made the Way to the nearby ocean to cool off after the hundreds of miles they had traveled, they began to collect scallop shells as a symbol of the completion of their pilgrim way. This tradition led to the scallop shell becoming a symbol of pilgrimage and of St. James himself. Along the many routes of the “Camino,” as it is more popularly known, the scallop shell was placed on posts to mark the path of the lengthy journey. The French word for a scallop is “coquille,” the most popular preparation is the classic “Coquille St. Jacques,” or scallops of St. James, named for the pilgrim’s shell. This delicious first course or appetizer is used to celebrate the Feast of St. James the Greater on July 25.
Ingredients
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 pounds sea scallops
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons Cognac
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup finely grated Gruyère cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Dry scallops with a paper towel, then in a large bowl, mix flour, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add scallops to bowl and toss until thoroughly coated in spiced flour mixture. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add scallops to butter and sauté, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer scallops to a plate and cover to keep warm. Add onions to skillet and sauté, frequently stirring, over medium-high heat for 6 minutes, until they turn light brown. Add white wine to the pan and scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to get all the brown bits off the pan and into the sauce. Reduce heat slightly and simmer until sauce has reduced by half. Remove pan from heat and stir in Cognac and scallops. Preheat oven broiler. Divide scallop and sauce mixture between six scallop shells or small ovenproof serving dishes. Do not use glass. Mix bread crumbs, melted butter, and Gruyère cheese; divide and spoon mixture evenly over each dish of scallops. Place dishes about 5 to 6 inches from the broiler and cook until the scallop mixture is hot, bubbly, and browned on top. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve immediately with a glass of fine French or Spanish wine!